Musings for Transfiguration Sunday

Sunday, March 6, 2011
Transfiguration of Our Lord

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Karen Grover

INTRODUCTION
Today's festival is a bridge between the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany cycle that comes to a close today and the Lent-Easter cycle that begins in several days. On the mount of transfiguration Jesus is revealed as God's beloved Son, echoing the words at his baptism. This vision of glory sustains us as Jesus faces his impending death in Jerusalem.

We turn this week to Ash Wednesday and our yearly baptismal journey from Lent to Easter. Some churches put aside the alleluia at the conclusion of today's liturgy. This word of joy will be omitted during the penitential season of Lent and will be sung again at Easter.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

O God, in the transfiguration of your Son you confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the witness of Moses and Elijah, and in the voice from the bright cloud declaring Jesus your beloved Son, you foreshadowed our adoption as your children. Make us heirs with Christ of your glory, and bring us to enjoy its fullness, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

First Reading

Exodus 24:12–18

At Mount Sinai, Moses experienced the presence of God for forty days and forty nights. The "glory of the Lord" settled on the mountain, and on the seventh day God called out to Moses. On the mountain God gave Moses the stone tablets inscribed with the ten commandments.

¹²The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction." ¹³So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. ¹⁴To the elders he had said, "Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them."
¹⁵Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. ¹⁶The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. ¹⁷Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. ¹⁸Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 2

You are my son; this day have I begotten you. (Ps. 2:7)

¹Why are the nations ^| in an uproar?

Why do the peoples mutter ^| empty threats?

²Why do the kings of the earth rise up in revolt,

and the princes ^| plot together,

against the LORD and against the ^| LORD's anointed?

³"Let us break their ^| yoke," they say;

"let us cast off their ^| bonds from us."

⁴God whose throne is in heav- ^| en is laughing;

the LORD holds them ^| in derision.

⁵Then in wrath God ^| speaks to them,

and in rage fills ^| them with terror.

⁶"As for me, I have anoint- ^| ed my king

upon Zion, my ^| holy mountain."

⁷Let me announce the decree ^| of the LORD,

who said to me, "You are my son; this day have I be- ^| gotten you.

⁸Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for ^| your inheritance

and the ends of the earth for ^| your possession.

⁹You shall crush them with an ^| iron rod

and shatter them like a ^| piece of pottery."

¹⁰And now, you ^| kings, be wise;

be warned, you rulers ^| of the earth.

¹¹Submit to the ^| LORD with fear,

and with trembling ^| bow in worship;

¹²lest the LORD be angry, and you perish in a sudden ^| blaze of wrath.

Happy are all who take ref- ^| uge in God!

Second Reading

2 Peter 1:16–21

At the transfiguration, God's voice was heard, declaring Jesus to be the beloved Son. By the activity of the Holy Spirit, God's voice continues to be heard through the word of scripture.

¹⁶For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. ¹⁷For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." ¹⁸We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.
¹⁹So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. ²⁰First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, ²¹because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Gospel

Matthew 17:1–9

Shortly before he enters Jerusalem, where he will be crucified, Jesus is revealed to his disciples in a mountaintop experience of divine glory called the transfiguration.

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. ²And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. ³Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. ⁴Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." ⁵While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" ⁶When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. ⁷But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Get up and do not be afraid." ⁸And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
⁹As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

THOUGHTS:

This is truly one of those "mountaintop experiences." In thinking about the use of that term, I realize how very casually it is used to describe different happenings in one's life. I mean, think about it--Jesus appears to Peter, James and John with a face as bright as the sun and his clothes dazzling white. He is giving them a preview of what is to come--his divinity--God's revelation of his gift to us through his son's death. That is a mountaintop experience and had to be such a shock to Peter, James and John. What I have a hard time grasping is when they see Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus, Peter offers to set up three dwellings for them? I can't imagine collecting my thoughts enough to offer to do that. But, then, God comes into the picture and redirects Peter's attention to Jesus, more or less telling him to get his priorities straight when he says ".......listen to him!"

The described vision was very brief (although there is no way of really knowing that.) When the disciples looked up they saw only Jesus, who tells them not to be afraid. Of course Jesus also tells them not to tell anybody about their vision until after he has risen. This is not the first time they are instructed not to tell what they have seen. But this was a glimpse into the divinity of Jesus. That had to be difficult to keep this "mountaintop experience" a secret. But, then, maybe not because we see the disciples fluctuate back and forth in their understanding of what Jesus is trying to prepare them for. The disciples most often go back to thinking about Jesus as a human being, not as a divine being. I sometimes do that when I look up at the cross--I think of his suffering--the human aspect. But I am most often redirected.

Really getting it--the whole purpose of the life of Jesus, his death and resurrection--can get lost in the everyday happenings of our lives. But he is never lost to me.

LET US PRAY:

that we are ever mindful of the divine Jesus

for God's protection of the rebelling Libyans

for the Egyptians as they rebuild their country

for those who are hungry and without shelter

for the many children who want loving homes

QUOTE:

"This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!"

Musings for Epiphany 8

Reflections by Joshua Brown and Elizabeth Dollhopf-Brown

INTRODUCTION
Christians recognize that the source of all good things is the God who feeds the birds and clothes the grass of the field. We rejoice that we are held in the palm of God's hand. God cannot forget us any more than a woman could forget her nursing child. Nourished at the Lord's table, we share these gifts with those who are anxious, hungry, poor, or in any kind of need.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

God of tender care, like a mother, like a father, you never forget your children, and you know already what we need. In all our anxiety give us trusting and faithful hearts, that in confidence we may embody the peace and justice of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord

First Reading Isaiah 49:8–16a

The Lord shows motherly compassion for God's suffering people. Even if a nursing mother could under rare circumstances forget her child, God will never forget us.

⁸Thus says the LORD:
In a time of favor I have answered you,
on a day of salvation I have helped you;
I have kept you and given you
as a covenant to the people,
to establish the land,
to apportion the desolate heritages;
⁹saying to the prisoners, "Come out,"
to those who are in darkness, "Show yourselves."
They shall feed along the ways,
on all the bare heights shall be their pasture;
¹⁰they shall not hunger or thirst,
neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them down,
for he who has pity on them will lead them,
and by springs of water will guide them.
¹¹And I will turn all my mountains into a road,
and my highways shall be raised up.
¹²Lo, these shall come from far away,
and lo, these from the north and from the west,
and these from the land of Syene.
¹³Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the LORD has comforted his people,
and will have compassion on his suffering ones.
¹⁴But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me,
my LORD has forgotten me."
¹⁵Can a woman forget her nursing child,
or show no compassion for the child of her womb?
Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.
¹⁶See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands.

Psalm (ELW) Psalm 131

Like a child upon its mother's breast, my soul is quieted within me. (Ps. 131:2)

¹O LORD, I am not proud; I have no ^| haughty looks.

I do not occupy myself with great matters,

nor with things that are too ^| hard for me.

²But I still my soul and make it quiet,

like a child upon its ^| mother's breast;

my soul is quiet- ^| ed within me.

³O Israel, wait up- ^| on the LORD,

from this time forth for- ^| evermore.

Second Reading 1 Corinthians 4:1–5

We are servants and stewards of Christ whose primary responsibility is to be trustworthy. We do not stand over others as their judge, but we stand under Christ to whom we will be held accountable.

Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries. ²Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. ³But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. ⁴I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. ⁵Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive commendation from God.

Gospel Matthew 6:24–34

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus encourages his followers to trust in God rather than material wealth.

²⁴No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
²⁵Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? ²⁸And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. ³⁰But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you — you of little faith? ³¹Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' ³²For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
³⁴So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today.

Reflection

We have reached the dregs of winter in Rochester. The beautiful snowy white blanket now lays in dingy dirty spots. Grey days follow grey days. Forecasts of another week of 20 degree temperatures leads one to question the sanity of anyone who suggests that someday in August the air will feel uncomfortably hot and humid. It must be tough to be a bird this time of year too. November’s plentiful nuts and berries have been picked over, birdfeeders sit empty as some humans cannot traverse the snow banks to fill them, and ice covers most of the water. Somehow, those cardinals, wrens, and sparrows find a way to make it through the winter. They find the food that God has provided to sustain them and in a few months they’ll start singing in spring’s sunlight again.

Like the birds, we too make our way through the winters of our own lives. The long shadows of our burdens frighten us into worrying. We delude ourselves into thinking that our worries will somehow make the future more secure or help prepare us for all potential outcomes of uncertain circumstances. Instead, worrying feeds on our insecurity and multiplies our fear. God’s message to us is the same as to those birds: God will provide what we need to make it through our long dark nights. The Creator will work through us, and though others, to sustain us, heal us, and comfort us, so that we too may sing with joy in the spring.

Prayer Concerns

Knowing that God provides all we need we pray for:

• Health and healing for those who suffer infirmity of body or mind
• Visionary leadership for our public education systems
• The building up of nonprofit and humanitarian organizations that work for peace and justice throughout the world
• For the continued calling of men and women into religious and spiritual vocation

QUOTE

“If you have two loaves of bread, sell one and buy a lily”

- Chinese Proverb

Therefore, to be possess'd with double pomp,
To guard a title that was rich before,
To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
To throw a perfume on the violet,
To smooth the ice, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light
To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,
Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.

- William Shakespeare